The New iPhone Headphone Jack Is The Future

Apple finally introduced its long awaited iPhone 7 to the world on Wednesday, and the innovative tech company proved once again that it's willing to take a radical approach to both design and functionality. The new iPhone has no headphone jack, and while the change isn't so much a surprise due to the multitude of leaks foreshadowing its imminency, it's still a bold move that's making serious waves within the consumer market and tech industry.

As drastic and unique as the change might seem, it seems to be part of a growing trend. Apple isn't the first phone model to nix the headphone jack, but it's certainly the most popular. The Lenovo's Moto Z and Moto Z Force beat the iPhone by just a couple months when the company confirmed its jack-less model in June, according to Vox's tech arm, The Verge. The Moto Z may still actually hit stores after the new iPhone as there's no confirmed release date, so Apple could be the first to sell a jack-less model in the United States. However, Lenovo beat Apple to the punch on the announcement, fair and square.

The idea of removing the headphone jack has come under scrutiny already for a variety of reasons, most troublingly being compatibility. Mashable's product analyst Raymond Wong pointed out that the universality of the traditional headphone jack will be sorely missed in a new, wireless world. Not all devices, like game controllers and some mp3 players, feature Bluetooth connectivity yet, and holding on to an extra pair of wired headphones just for the occasional, conditional usage could kinda suck.

However, the tech industry moves so quickly that these problems will likely be resolved in a few years. Bluetooth is the way of the future, and more and more devices are making use of all its numerous capabilities and adaptations. It's just a better move to adopt the technology into your daily use now if you haven't already — you'll end up saving yourself a headache down the road when you're one of the last holdouts.

If you're planning to get the latest Apple model, there are a few options for your listening needs. First, there are Apple's new AirPods, a new generation of earbuds that are actually wireless. The earbuds don't even connect in the middle like most wireless earbuds do. Since it's a genuine Apple product, it'll feature some awesome cross-product integration with both the iPhone and MacBooks, too.

If you lose those AirPods, you'll also want to have a back-up pair of regular wireless headphones. As an avid wireless headphones user myself, I encourage any doubters to embrace the change with open arms. Wireless headphones give you the freedom to move around without being tied down to your phone — most headphones have a range of at least 10 feet, and upping the price range allows for even more flexibility. You can find some really great over the ear wireless headphones or wireless earbuds to suit your needs, and though battery life is still an issue for most wireless headphones, Apple's change to the consumer market could alleviate that problem soon.

Additionally, you can easily use an adapter in the Lightning port to plug your old headphones into your new iPhone.

The days of the headphone jack are in the past for Apple now, as they should be. The world is an increasingly wireless place, and removing one more limitation from your daily life, even a limitation brought about by convenience and entertainment, is freeing. Becoming an early adopter of the wired-headphone-less life will open your eyes, so don't hesitate to make the switch.